I'm An Adult
by Deanlu
Summary: Caroline believes Andy isn't treating her like a adult.


**I'm An Adult**

**Devil Wears Prada is the property of 20th Century Fox, Lauren Weisberger, and Aline Brosh McKenna. This story deals with teen themes and I have rated it 'T' just in case someone takes offense. This story came about while trying to work on my writer's leave a review, would love to know what ya'll think. **

**Deanlu**

Miranda quietly walked into the kitchen stopping at the door to observe her daughter. Caroline was staring out into the backyard watching as Andy weeded the garden bed. From the tense way her daughter held herself the editor could tell she was angry and frustrated. Miranda watched as Caro hesitantly reached toward the door handle grasping it for a few second and then letting it go. Her daughter's head dropping allowing her chin to touch her chest.

"You can stare all day through the window and it will get you no further to resolving this Caroline." Miranda said gently. Caroline took a deep breath and raised her head looking out the window again. It had been over a week since the incident. Caroline still wasn't speaking to Andrea. Miranda ached for her wife and daughter.

"She had no right, mom! I am old enough to take care of myself. She had no right." Caroline growled softly as she tensed even more as she spoke the words waves of anger rolling off the young lady.

"She had every right Caroline. You are seventeen dear. She is your mother. Whether you like it or not she and I will always try to protect you." Miranda said moving into the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee. Miranda looked out through the window over the sink area at her wife. Andrea was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Her hair was tied back with several hairs that had strayed out. A smudge of dirt along her cheek and sweat soaking her shirt from harsh movements gave evidence that Andy was upset. Her wife had retreated to the garden to take out her frustrations instead of taking them out on everyone else.

"I had the situation under control. I was perfectly fine." Caroline said attempting to argue her point and prove she was right. She just burst through the door and dragged me out of there." Caroline turned toward her mother who had moved to breakfast bar. Miranda knew that wasn't a true statement. Andrea had spent over an hour relating to Miranda what she had seen. Miranda realized she had almost lost Caroline to a fate possibly worse than death. She had never been as grateful to have Andrea in her life as she had that night. Andrea had been so shakin that they had stayed up most of the night just talking, checking on Caroline from the doorway, and cuddling each other to reassure each other all would be well. The only problem was the following morning when they had gone to discuss it calmly and patiently Caroline had attacked Andrea. Since then both had treated each to silence, not that Andy hadn't tried, but Caro had made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the young reporter. "Do you know how embarrassing that was? To be dragged out of a party in front of your friends by your STEPMOM! I'll never be trusted by my friends again. I will never trust her again." Caroline said looking back out through the patio doors glass to where Andrea had stopped weeding and was sitting back on her knees drinking from the water bottle. "I'm an adult; she treated me like a kid." Caroline stated emphatically. Miranda looked toward her daughter deciding it was time to treat her daughter like the adult she insisted she was.

"Very well, you're an adult and want to be treated like an adult." Miranda replied coolly to her daughter. Caroline turned knowing she was in for it from her mother's tone of voice. The Dragon of _Runway_ flared into full glory before her dragonet. "Then Adult Caroline let me apprise you of some facts. First, you lied to your mother and I about what was happening that night. You stated and I quote, "Just some friends getting together to study and then watch a movie. I'll be home by eleven."" Caro cringed and felt the beginnings of icy tendrils slide through her chest; her mother's face now the cold mask of justice and truth. "It was not studying and a movie. It was a frat party with alcohol, drugs, and sex! Second, by the time Andrea arrived you were three sheets to the wind and being pulled toward a back bedroom. Now, Caroline I don't know if you have had sex yet, but sex when you are not in control can destroy a young adult's life even if they are sexual active! Beyond the emotional consequences or STD's; nonconsensual sex is rape. How would it have felt to wake in the morning naked, displayed before God knows who never knowing who you were with? When you make love one day Caroline I want it to be with someone who loves you and respects you. Not waking in a back room as an afterthought or no thought." Miranda exclaimed in that icy, calm voice as heat infused Caroline face from the rising blush and she dropped her head.

"Third, the police had been called about the party. They were due to arrive at any time which I will remind you would have brought the paparazzi and caught you in a very compromising position. You are always going on about Andrea and me in those RAGS! Imagine your face being plastered across Page 6, the National Enquirer, People magazine, and the thousands of online websites and blogs." Miranda rose now and walked over to her gently grabbing her shoulders and raising her chin forcing her daughter to acknowledge each word the Dragon said.

"Finally, that woman out there, the one you call stepmom right now, the one who is my wife, has from day one never done anything! Anything, except love you, respect you, protect you and this family. You want to be treated like an adult. Start acting like one! Andrea has done nothing to deserve you treating her like scum except act like an adult! Perhaps daughter it's time you actually grew up." Miranda declared and stared at her daughter who had tears running down her face. Caroline was trying very hard not to cry in front of her mother. Miranda let her daughter go and moved back to the counter picking up her cup of coffee. She moved toward the doorway to the hall pausing momentarily to look back at Caro.

"You know Caroline you owe her an apology, but even more you need to think about what would have happened if Andy hadn't been there." Miranda pronounced leaving her daughter to sort through the words now battering her inside. Caroline held it together a few more minutes before she broke down. Several minutes later, Caroline stood back to the patio doors and watched her Andy. Her mom was right. Andy had done nothing, but protect and love her. She hadn't thought through what could happen. She just knew she wanted to go with her friends to that party. Caroline leaned her head against the cool glass as she thought. None of them were mad at her about Andy dragging her out of the party when you got down to it, though they had teased her about being a momma's girl and being on a short leash. They were mad their parents hadn't done the same thing. Mad, that Caroline's stepmom loved her enough to come for her and protect her when she found out she was in danger. Philip Ravitz had said it clearer than any of them the following day at school, "I wish my father paid attention as much as your Andy does." For just a minute Caroline had gotten a glimpse into Philips lonely life and it had changed something. Then Terrence De Walt had walked passed calling her a goody two shoes and momma's girl and her anger had come pouring back. Caroline pulled her thoughts back to the present and grabbed hold the door hand.

Andy was hurting. She wouldn't change her actions toward Caroline one wit. She wanted her daughter protected and safe. She also knew she couldn't do that all the time, but when she could well Dammit! She would do it. The young reporter viciously tore out some crabgrass that had the audacity to think it could invade her flower bed. Oh yes, Andy was royally screwed with Caroline, but it was obvious Caroline hadn't paid as much attention as she should have when going to the party. When Andy had pulled up down the block and ran toward the house she had seen kids passed out in the yard, beer and hard liquor bottles strewn all over, and the local drug dealer smiling as he left the house. Andrea had known right away who the man with the hard face and nice suit was and his special brand of business due to a story she had written over a year back. It had pushed every warning bell inside of her to get to Caroline right away. She had run into the house scanning for her daughter moving through mass of young bodies, alcohol, and drugs until she found Caro being pulled by an older college boy toward a back bedroom. She could tell from the way Caro was stumbling and the hold on her that her daughter was not in control of her faculties. She had quickly reached her daughter, wrenching her away from the young man getting just a glimpse of an open bedroom door where several young people were doing lines of cocaine and sexual things nearby that made Andrea's skin crawl still. She had made it in time. Just.

Andy was pulled from her memories by a shadow that fell across her. She knew even without looking who was standing behind her. A bottle of water landed next to her with a loud thunk.

"You're getting dehydrated." Caroline's tear strained voice spoke. "You need to take a break." Andy wiped the sweat from her brow and shook her head.

"I'm fine." Andy replied and went back to working on the bed. Caroline moved a step closer.

"Andy…please…can we talk." Caroline sobbed as she tried to maintain control. Andy hesitated resting the spade in the dirt and taking a deep breath. Caroline's voice at this moment was so much like Miranda's it was uncanny.

"As I recall you were an adult and didn't want to talk with me." Andy rose, turned to sit down on her bottom drawing her knee's up as she rested her arms around them.

"I was wrong. I…I.. God why is this so hard." Caroline asked to no one in particular. Her inner voice responded with something Andy had once said to her, _Anything worth having is hard. Never let it deter you. Just dig in harder and push forward."_ Caroline laughed.

"Something funny?" Andrea asked cocking her head sideways as Caroline rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky. Caroline looked back at the young reporter.

"Even when I'm mad at you, your voice is in my head trying to make me see reason." Caroline chuckled as small smile cracked Andrea's frown. Caroline sat down across from Andy pulling up one knee and folding the before her. She stared at Andy for a moment noticing the slight worried creases at the corner of her eyes and forehead. "I'm sorry. I thought I was an adult that I knew what I was doing. I didn't. If you hadn't come along when you did I would have been in trouble that I couldn't have fixed. Instead of being grateful I lashed out at you. I said some pretty mean things. I accused you of things that I shouldn't have and weren't true." Caroline's voice cracked as she tried to go on. "I'm sorry Andy…I never wanted…" Caroline's voice cracked and her tears broke free as she began to cry in earnest. Andy slipped forward wrapping her arms around Caroline and pulling her into her arms.

"Shh, Shh…you never wanted what?" Andy said rocking her daughter softly as tears soaked her chest where she had the young girl tucked under her chin.

"I never wanted to disappoint you. I'm sorry Andy." Caroline wept hard knowing she had hurt her mom now, had caused a distance in their relationship. "I'm sorry Andy. Please forgive me. I can't stand you not loving me."

"Hey, hey… Caroline, listen to me. Come on little one listen to me." Andy pulled her daughters face up so she could look her in the eyes. "I have never, not once, stopped loving you. NEVER! I will always love you. No matter how mad or angry you get at me I will always love you. Do you hear me?" Andrea asked as she looked into her daughter's blue eyes. Caroline could see Andy's love for her in those brown eyes. It was as strong as ever just like the first time she had trusted them.

"Yes" Caroline said clearly and sniffed. "I'm so sorry Andy." Andy watched the pain and fear roll in her daughter's eyes. She leaned forward kissing Caro's forehead even as her daughter's eyes fluttered shut.

"Forgiven, I love you Caroline! I could not have wished for a better daughter. You have not disappointed me. All I ask is that you tell us the truth and think before you act." Andrea whispered as Caroline began to sob again nodding.

"Yes, I promise." She felt Andy tuck her under her chin and just hold her tightly. She could hear Andy's strong heart beat echo through her. Caro understood very clearly now why her mother said that being in Andy's arms was the safest she ever felt. Caroline felt it now. She knew now she wasn't quite an adult, but at that moment she didn't want to be. She would rather just stay here in the backyard in the safety of her Andy's arms. There was time to be an adult later.


End file.
